cheapest place for rebuilt Ate calipers

#1

As the title says. I’m not interested in rebuilding myself this round.

#2

Why not rebuild them? The parts are cheap and if you know how to go about it the job takes less than 15min per caliper once they are off the rotor. You don’t even have to disconnect the brake line.

The trick to the job is in getting the dust boot on. To do that, replace the seal in the caliper body. Then slide the small end of the dust boot over the end of the piston that will be in the caliper, leaving most of the boot sticking past the end of the piston. Work the free end of the dust boot into the groove in the caliper and then push the piston home. Piece o cake!

#3

I’m not comfortable driving a brand new car for the first time with brakes I built for the first time. And I’m a total screw up. It’ll take me much longer! I got two different tools stuck in two different places today!

#4

I call you soul brother. The beer’s on me should you get to the SE.

Getting the pistons back into the cylinders requires some practice. They have to go in perfectly square. I screwed up a number of rubber seals until I started getting the hang of. Was aggravating as hell.

#5

I’ve rebuilt my calipers a couple times and it really isn’t difficult. As long as the piston is in good shape that is the way to go. Unfortunetly, I have destroyed 3 pistons on my calipers when I have run out of pads so I have spent time looking for replacements. I have found the cheapest source for rebuilt guaranteed ATE calipers is Turner Motorsports. Some of the other rebuilt sources don’t guarantee you an ATE caliper so you may get a Girling.

#6

I guess any place that can’t guarantee you the brand is useless in our business. I do want to learn how to do this so I’ll compromise–run what I have in two weeks, then I’ll have time to order the rebuild kit, fail to do the job correctly, and then order the rebuilt ones from Turner to replace the paperweights I created out of my old ones and get them installed just in time for Putnam!

#7

I bought remans from AutoZone.I think they were $45 each, but I do believe they have a core charge (can’t remember).

You probably will have to make sure they order the ATE ones.

They have a warranty and are usually local, which is why i don’t mind buying stuff from them. Chances are you will need to replace them again within 2 years, which i believe is the warranty period on them, if not lifetime.

#8

For the benefit of the terminally clueless, what’s wrong with the Girlings?

#9

Some guys say nothing. Some say uneven pad wear. Some guys say you have to run the brass bushings with the ATEs or you get uneven pad wear. I just prefer having ATEs all around with freshly lubed brass bushings is why I run them. I have had really good pad wear until I didn’t last event at Memphis which led to running out of pad.

#10

They aren’t supposed to be a stiff as ATE’s.

A buddy at e30tech says he’s seen video of Girlings that show visible flex under heavy braking. ATEs will give a little because of the rubber bushings, so they need to be replaced with metal bushings in order to have a real apples to apple comparison.

#11

Rob, if you are interested in Ate’s I think I have a set that just needs to be rebuilt and loaded with solid bushings. I’ll make you a sweet deal.

#12

I prefer Grilings for the benefit of quick brake pad changes, I don’t think you will notice a difference between the 2. Certainly performance wise you won’t notice anything.

#13

+1 on Simons thought. Changing brakes is mindless for most but really mindless with the girlings.

#14

Turner has refurbished ones you can buy ready to go. Like others, I’ve got a few sets that I rebuilt and just rotate them in and out through the season.

Dan